Nancy Drew and The Mysterious Package
by birdywings
Summary: Nancy Drew is back with another one of her mysteries, little does she know what challenges lie ahead of her in this adventure!
1. Chapter 1

Nancy Drew and the Mysterious Package

Chapter I

It was a warm Sunday afternoon when attractive blonde-haired, blue-eyed, nineteen year old Nancy Drew entered her hometown of River Heights. She had just returned from one of her many adventures as an amateur sleuth. Ever since she had solved her first case in 'The Secret of The Old Clock', Nancy has been viewed as one of the most successful detectives ever to emerge and was called upon whenever there was an enigma at large.

_Think I'll drop by the post office on my way home_, The young detective thought to herself as she rode along the dirt road in her dark-blue convertible.

As Nancy parked her car, a familiar voice called, "Nancy, hi." Nancy turned in the voice's direction to find Mrs. Struthers, an elderly woman for whom she had aided on one of her earlier cases. Nancy waved and exited her vehicle to embrace the old friend.

"It's so good to see you dear, you were away for so long that everyone was beginning to think you might never solve the case you were working on." The kind woman said.

Nancy laughed. "Well, I must admit, it was a little challenging compared to some of my previous cases but I wasn't about to let one mystery defeat me.

"No indeed."

"How is Rose?" Nancy asked the woman of her granddaughter.

"Very well, thank you. She just excels in her dance and violin lessons and it's all thanks to you."

"I'm glad, do give her my best."

"Oh, I will. You be sure to stop by the house for tea sometime. Bring your friends Bess and George, I'm sure Rose would love to see you girls again." The woman invited.

Nancy smiled, delighted at the invitation. "I promise to do so, you take care Mrs. Struthers." Nancy waved goodbye to the woman and entered the post office.

"Well, if it isn't Miss Nancy Drew, back from another one of your mysteries are we?" Mr. Ryan called from behind the counter.

"Hello Mr. Ryan, lovely weather we're having today aren't we?"

"We sure are Miss Drew, best day all year." The good-natured man replied.

"Has anything arrived for my father or me?" Nancy inquired.

"I'm afraid not Miss Drew."

"Alright then, I suppose I'll just head home now. You take care Mr. Ryan and say hello to your wife for me." Nancy called on her way out the door.

"Will do Miss Drew, and you say hi to your father for me."

Nancy nodded and stepped into the light of the day.

A short drive to the young detective's's residence later, Nancy emptied her vehicle of all the souvenirs she brought home for her friends and pulled her key from her pocket to let herself in the door, only to find that every light in the room was switched off with every curtain drawn shut. Nancy set down her packages and began to open the curtains, when all around her came the shouts of "Happy Birthday Nancy!"  
Nancy jumped at the cries and whirled around in alarm to find all of her closest friends and family jumping out from their hiding places.  
It was Nancy's nineteenth birthday that day and all of her friends had put together a surprise celebration upon the young sleuth's return home. All her dear friends were there; Bess and George with their dates, Burt and Dave. Her father, Carson Drew along with the Drew's housekeeper, Hannah Gruen, who had treated Nancy like her own daughter since she was three after the passing of her mother. And finally, Nancy's date, Ned Nickerson.

Ned came up to Nancy and hugged her tightly saying, "Nancy, I'm so glad you're back. Happy Birthday."

Nancy hugged him back. "Thank you Ned, what a surprise!"

Many greetings and hugs were exchanged between Nancy and her friends before Hannah announced, "Alright everyone, we better take this gathering into the kitchen for our dinner will get cold if we don't start eating soon."

Nancy nodded. "Okay, but first I want to give everyone the gifts I have brought back for them." She said with a wide grin.

"Gifts!" Bess exclaimed. "Oh Nancy, you ought to be the only person in this house receiving presents today." Bess pointed out as Nancy began passing out the many packages to everyone.

"Oh don't even worry about it Bess, it's no trouble at all."

"But Nancy it's just not right, it's your birthday aft-..." Bess had ceased to protest as soon as she laid eyes on the beautiful handcrafted bracelet Nancy had bought her.

Nancy had to giggle at the sight of the dazed look in her friend's eyes.

After everyone's gifts had been unwrapped, the group filed into the dining room where a large feast that consisted of roast chicken, baked potatoes and grilled tomatoes with chocolate cheesecake for dessert awaited them.  
Lively conversation of Nancy's recent adventure went on throughout the meal, as well as Nancy's mentioning to the girls of Mrs. Struthers' invitation to tea.  
When the food was all eaten and the dishes were cleared away, the party returned to the front living-room where Nancy received all her birthday gifts.

"Oh Bess, this is absolutely beautiful!" Nancy exclaimed, as she pulled a silver chain with a small peridot pendent attached to the end from the tiny lavender gift box Bess had given her.  
Bess was about to reply when there was an abrupt knock at the door.  
Heads were turned as Hannah Gruen opened the door for the unexpected visitor.

"Mr. Ryan! What brings you here?" Nancy said as she came up behind the housekeeper.

The man was panting hard as he was invited into the living room and led to a seat.

"Ned, will you go get Mr. Ryan some water please?" Nancy asked.  
Ned nodded and took off for the kitchen.

Mr. Ryan tried his best to get some words out but the man hardly had any breath left in him, so he instead, presented a brown package labeled with Nancy's name.  
Nancy took the package, looking quizzically at the object.

"Look-... Look at, at the bottom." Mr. Ryan panted as Ned returned with his glass of water.

Nancy did as she was told and discovered something that nearly made her heart stop and sent shivers down her spine.  
Where the sender's name should be, was this; _Eleanor_ _Drew._


	2. Chapter II

**Hey guys!**

**Thank you so much for your comments! You have no idea how much they mean to me. I actually want to cry every time I read one!**

**I am so incredibly sorry this took so long, I don't get a lot of chances to update but I promise you guys; no matter how long it may take me to update, I am intending to finish this story!  
****I want to try to make it as long as one of the actual books but we'll see how long I can keep this going.**

**Anyway, I'll shut up now so you guys can read chapter II.**

**Hope you guys enjoy and please review! They really keep me going.  
I'll try to get chapter III up soon!**

-**birdywings**

* * *

Chapter II

"It was the scariest thing I tell you!" Mr. Ryan exclaimed as he told the story of his journey to the Drew's house.

"It's okay Mr. Ryan, just take your time. There's no need to rush." Nancy said, attempting to soothe the man's nerves, although she was still having a difficult time calming herself down after seeing the package. That name. Her mother's name.

Mr. Ryan took a deep breath and relayed his story once again. "I was just getting ready to close up shop when I noticed the package addressed to Nancy and seeing that your house is on the way to mine, I thought it only logical to drop it off. So there I was, just walking down the block when I heard the screeching of tires close by and the next thing I know, a car comes barreling down the street heading straight for me! I ran as fast as my legs could carry me."

"Oh my!" Bess exclaimed. "What a tragic encounter!"

"You're safe now Mr. Ryan and I'll be sure to drive you home myself to avoid another situation like that." Mr. Drew assured.

"Please Mr. Drew, allow us to take him home," Burt and Dave offered. "We should be heading out soon anyway."

Mr. Drew nodded. "If you boys are up for it, by all means."

As Mr. Ryan finished the last of his water and took a moment to catch his breath, Nancy, along with her guests, got busy tidying up after the party.  
Shortly after, the Drews bid everyone farewell.  
Ned stopped in the doorway with Nancy by his side.

"I didn't get a chance to give this to you." He said, handing her a small gift box with a gold ribbon tied around it.

Nancy smiled at him as she unwrapped the gift.

She gasped. "Ned it's wonderful." She said, gazing at the pin made to resemble a magnifying glass with Nancy's initials etched in the middle.

Ned smiled, fastening the pin to her collar.  
"There, now you can solve mysteries in style." He said.

She blushed. "Was my style too plain before?"

"Don't be silly, I love your style." He said, wrapping her up in a hug and kissing the top of her head. And for a moment there, Nancy almost forgot about all her worries regarding the package waiting for her in the house.

"Okay lovebirds, wrap it up." George called from the backseat of Burt's car. Bess elbowed her in the ribs.

Nancy giggled and bid Ned farewell after promising to get together in a few days.

As Nancy watched the vehicles disappear in the sunset, the anxious feeling returned to her and only got worse when she laid eyes on the package sitting on the kitchen countertop. It almost seems impossible for something so insignificant to carry something so fragile.  
When Nancy plucked the package from its spot, she felt like her hands were on fire, as if the object were giving off a radioactive energy that was now coursing through her veins just simply from touching it.

She carefully set it down again, as if it might explode if it weren't handled with care.  
She stared at it for a good long time before Mr. Drew entered the room and interrupted her deep thoughts.

"Well, I have to say that party was an absolute success. I was however, a little worried you might figure us out and ruin the surprise for yourself." He stopped in his tracks and noticed Nancy staring down at the package with a troubled look in her eyes.

"Nancy? Are you okay?"

She picked up the package once more, the heat burning through the lining of the cardboard, and handed it to her father.  
He looked quizzically at the object, wondering what could possibly have upset his daughter so, but took it from her nonetheless.  
When he read the name labeled on the bottom, he nearly dropped the package to the floor but lucky for them, Nancy had excellent reflexes.

"But...how? Your-...your." Carson stammered.

Nancy slowly nodded, already she had regained some of her composure.

Mr. Drew sighed and ran a hand through his hair.

"She must've been saving it specifically for my nineteenth birthday." Nancy suggested, barely in a whisper.

Mr. Drew nodded and gave a slight chuckle. "Well, your mother always was prepared for just about anything."

Nancy attempted a comforting smile and returned her gaze to the package.

"You know you don't have to open it if you don't want to." Carson said after a long period of silence.

Nancy inhaled deeply and turned to her father. "No, I want to. It's from mom after all." She said, putting on a brave face.

Her father smiled and nodded encouragingly.  
Nancy took one last deep breath before carefully peeling the packing tape off the box and pulling apart the flaps.  
Inside, was a folded piece of paper with Nancy's name on it.  
She cautiously reached for the letter and read its contents.

_My Dearest Nancy,_

_Happy Birthday!_

_I can only imagine the kind and caring, bright young woman you have become as you navigate your way through life.  
__I remember when you played detective when you were younger, how eager and determined you were to solve each mystery! And you always were a success in the end because you never once gave up when things got hard. I only wish I had your courage Nancy.__  
_

_That is why I am entrusting the contents of this package to you Nancy. You are my only hope, the only person I can trust.  
I can't tell you how sorry I am to leave you with this terrible burden but I know you will make me proud.  
_

_Take care of your father and tell him I love him._

_I love you my little sleuth,_

_-Mom_

Nancy felt a tear trickle down her cheek. She handed the note to her father and dabbed at her face with a tissue.

"Your mother really loved you Nancy." Mr. Drew sniffled when he finished reading the letter. Even with the tears gathering in his eyes, he had a warm smile on his face.

"She loved us both." Nancy said, hugging her father tightly.

When they both had regained their composure, Mr. Drew said, "Alright, let's see what is in this package shall we?"

Nancy smiled, nodding and opened the box, searching under several layers of packing paper before gasping in utter horror.

The box was empty!


	3. Chapter III

Chapter III

"Bess hurry up! we're going to be late!" George shouted as she lay a heavy hand on the steering wheel. The loud horn sounded in the Marvin's driveway, disturbing the quiet of the neighborhood.

George lifted her hand off after several minutes with still no evident movement within the house.

She heaved a sigh, stamping her foot in frustration. "Honestly, how long does it take for that girl to get ready?" George said to Nancy, who sat in the passenger seat beside her.

"Hmm? Nancy? Hello?" She tugged on her friend's arm.

Nancy jumped in her seat and turned to her friend. "Wha- what?" The startled girl replied.

George rolled her eyes. "What's up with you? You've been acting really strange ever since the party."

Nancy rubbed her temple, trying to focus. "Nothing, I'm fine."

"Could've fooled me." George remarked, preparing to honk the horn again but it wasn't necessary as her cousin just appeared at the front door and strolled down the path to the car.

"Hello ladies!" Bess sang, all bright and cheerful.

"Well, it's about time. You know we've been waiting for over half an hour right?" George snapped.

"Oh dear me, has it really been that long? Well, I'm sorry but a girl has got to look her absolute best!"

George scoffed as she started up the vehicle.

As the girls drove along, Bess spoke up. "Are you alright Nancy? You're awfully quiet."

Nancy shook her head, returning from her thoughts. "I'm fine, just tired."

"Really? You seem distracted. What's the matter?" Bess asked, expressing her concern.

Nancy wondered if she should tell her friends about the package. From what her mother said in her note, it sounded pretty dangerous and Nancy didn't want to put her friends in harm's way.  
But she also couldn't hide much from them and so she finally came out with it, telling them everything she knew.

"I believe the box's contents was stolen." She finished with.

"Oh my goodness!" Bess exclaimed. "But who would want to steal from your mother?"

Nancy shrugged. "I'm not sure but I intend to find answers." She said, that old spirited determination returning to her.

A smile crept across George's face. "Sounds like we have a mystery on our hands, you can count me in!"

Nancy grinned.

"Oh not another one!" Bess complained from the backseat.

Nancy giggled. "You don't have to help if you don't want to Bess."

"Oh don't mind her, she's just being a baby." George commented.

Bess spat her tongue out at her cousin. "Fine, I'll help but can we at least enjoy some tea at Mrs. Struther's first before we begin yet another dangerous adventure?"

"Whatever you say Bess!" The girls laughed as they drove along the concrete road.

* * *

A few minutes later, the girls pulled up in front of the elderly woman's house. The property had a nice, cozy touch to it, what with all the little rose bushes blossoming in the garden and the set of rocking chairs placed on the porch. It was inviting indeed. Nancy knocked gently on the door and Mrs. Struthers herself answered, greeting her guests with a warm smile and open arms.

"I'm so pleased to be entertaining you girls this evening." Mrs. Struthers said as she led the trio into the living room, where a batch of fresh sugar cookies and lemon tea awaited them.

Nancy smiled. "We're very pleased to be here."

"Yes, thank you for having us." Bess spoke up.

Just then, there came the sound of quick footsteps from the down the hall and out came running Mrs. Struthers' granddaughter, Rose. The young girl leapt into Nancy's arms and nearly sent the girl tumbling to the floor.

"Nancy you're back! You're back!" Rose squealed with glee.

Nancy patted the girl's head, smoothing out her frayed blond hair. "It's great to see you too Rose." She said.

Rose beamed at her. "I learned a new dance at my lesson yesterday and I want to show it to you, Bess and George!"

Nancy smiled and nodded for Rose to begin her little dance. Rose smiled, waiting for everyone to take their seats and began to do a little jig around the room, spinning, twirling and leaping every now and then. There was an enthusiastic round of applause afterward and she gave a bow in awknowledgement and then took off for her room down the hall.

Mrs. Struthers sighed. "They grow up so fast."

"Well, she certainly is talented." George commented.

"Indeed, she will go far." Bess added.

The four proceeded with lively conversation of all the latest news in River Heights and Nancy was brought up-to-date on all she had missed out on while she was away. The group was just discussing a fundraiser the police station was hosting for the hospital when there came a loud crash from down the hall, like glass shattering, followed by Roses's scream as she came sprinting down the hall and jumped into her grandmother's arms.

"Rose dear, whatever is the matter?" The woman asked, trying to get the girl to look at her but Rose refused to reply, burying her face deeper into Mrs. Struthers' lap.

Nancy faced her friends and gestured for them to follow her and the three took off for Rose's room. The room was very ornately decorated with the powder-pink walls, floral bedspread and the antique dresser lined with life-like glass dolls, all wearing extremely detailed clothing. Although there was a indescribable tension in the air, as if the entire room and everything in it were holding its breath.  
The girls gasped when they discovered what had upset Rose.  
The window above the child's bed was shattered with its remains littering the floor, across the room lay a brick and the girls knew right away that it had been the object thrown through the window. The only questions remaining on their lips were; Who threw it? And why?

George stepped away from the girls and made her way across the room.

"Oh! George, be careful please!" Bess pleaded.

George made one last leap over the field of glass, made a grab for the brick and returned to the other girls waiting in the doorway.  
A note was attached to the brick.  
Nancy unfolded it and found this;

_Nancy Drew,_

_Stop looking into things that don't concern you or there will be consequences!  
__This will be your only warning._


	4. Chapter IV

Chapter IV

There was a knock at the door.  
Carson Drew rose from his seat and went to answer it.

"Good evening Mr. Drew." Ned greeted him. He was dressed in a sharp tan suit with a cream tie.

"Ned, come on in." Mr. Drew invited.

The young man stepped through the door and took a seat across from Mr. Drew.

"Can I get you anything? Water?" Carson asked.

"No, I'm fine thank you."

Mr. Drew nodded, "Nancy will be down shortly."

Meanwhile, just upstairs, the young sleuth was trying to put together a suitable outfit for her date, seeking advice from her most trusted fashion advisers; Bess Marvin and George Fayne.

"Oh Nancy, you must wear the orange and yellow sundress!" Bess insisted.

"No, no, no. She'll look like a candy corn!" George objected. "You have to go with the blue one for sure."

Nancy took one dress in each hand, alternating positioning each of them in front of her before the mirror.

She sighed, "Maybe I just ought to go with a simple pantsuit."

"No way!" Bess exclaimed. "This is a date and you ought to look proper."

She rose from Nancy's bed, took both dresses from her and tossed them on the floor.

"Let's start from scratch." Bess declared.

Meanwhile, George had been rummaging around in Nancy's closet and presently, she revealed a deep green sundress with a few swirling patterns at the end.

George smiled, clearly pleased with her find. "Simple but not too simple."

Nancy smiled, taking the dress from her friend into the restroom and changing into it.

Five minutes later, Nancy made her way down the stairs to the living room where the two men were seated with Bess and George whispering after her; "Good luck!"

"Ah, Nancy there you are." Her father said, standing up and planting a kiss on her head.

Ned smiled at her. "Ready?" He asked.

She nodded, taking his arm and allowing him to lead her to his vehicle.

"Have fun you two." Mr. Drew called after them.

Ned released Nancy's arm, walking ahead of her to open the passenger's door for her.  
She smiled and climbed in.

Ned gently shut the door and walked over to the other side, climbing in as he asked; "So, where shall we go?"

"Hmm, how about that new street fair that just arrived last week? I hear it's very fun." Nancy replied.

"To the street fair it is!" He exclaimed, backing the automobile out of the driveway.

And the young couple drove off to spend a wonderful night together.

* * *

"Would you like some cotton candy Nancy?" Ned asked.

Nancy, however, didn't seem to hear him as she currently had a far away look in her eyes.

He gently nudged her, "Nancy?"

She snapped to attention. "Hmm? What?"

He smiled teasingly. "You're thinking about your mother's letter aren't you?"

Nancy racked her brain, trying to come up with an excuse but failing. "Yes, I am." She finally admitted.

Ned smiled and pulled her close. "You shouldn't worry so much, you'll solve the case, you always do."

"I wish I had your confidence but I don't even know where to begin!" She shouted in dismay. "After discovering the empty box, I'm left with no clue as to what was once in the package nor to who or what is involved."

"You'll figure it out, trust me," Ned said, kissing her forehead. "Now, why don't we take a break from the mystery and enjoy tonight?"

Nancy smiled, allowing him to pull her close. "Sounds wonderful."

The couple went walking to and fro among all the different tents and stands. They tasted the many varieties of foods and watched all the exhilarating performances from stand owners.

After things began to dial down, the couple decided to go for a walk around the nearby lake and they eventually settled down on a park bench.  
Nancy sighed, leaning into Ned's shoulder, trying to fight the slight drowsiness in her eyes. All the events over the past few days had really taken a toll on her.

"It's such a beautiful night." Ned commented.

"Mm-hmm." Nancy answered, getting sleepier by the minute.

Ned sighed, rubbing at the back of his head with one hand while the other fumbled with an object in his coat pocket.

"Nancy... I really care about you," He started. "I have admired your determination, wisdom and kindness for years. I honestly couldn't be any more fond of you than I am now. I would do just about anything for you." He smiled down at her.

She tried to smile back up at him but she was getting to be too tired and was too comfortable at the moment.  
She really cared about Ned too. She loved that he showed interest in her mysteries and was more than willing to help when she needed him. She especially loved how kind, caring and brave he was. She couldn't ask for a better man in her life.

"I've been wanting to ask you this for awhile now, but I had to wait for the right moment and I can't imagine a better one than now." He said, as he pulled an object from his pocket and held it out to Nancy.

"Nancy Drew, will you marry me?" He presented a simple ring with a single diamond encrusted in it.

Suddenly, Nancy jumped to her feet, threw her hands up in the air exclaiming; "WILL!"


	5. Chapter V

**Hello my fellow fanfiction writers!**

**Thank you once again for your comments and continued support! I honestly wouldn't be able to do this without you guys. And I mean it when I say stuff like that because the fact that there's even one person out there who likes my story even in the smallest possible way, it means so much to me.**

**So here is chapter V as always, please enjoy!**

**Happy reading/writing!**

**-birdywings**

Chapter V

Ned froze, startled by Nancy's reaction.  
Of course he had wanted her to be thrilled but he was puzzled by her sudden exclamation.

Nancy began pacing before him, talking excitedly. "That's it! The will! I can start investigating my mother's will and see if I can find anything about her leaving the package for me! Ned you're an absolute genius!" She said, hugging him tightly.

Ned couldn't resist smiling, now that he knew Nancy had been referring to her mother's mystery.

"That's great!" He said, hugging her back. "But that still doesn't answer my question."

Nancy pulled away saying, "Oh my goodness! I'm so sorry, yes! Of course I'll marry you! Yes! Yes!"

Ned smiled, sliding the ring on her finger and rising to his feet as he pulled her into another hug.

"I love you Nancy Drew." He whispered in her strawberry-blond hair.

He could feel her smile as she whispered back, "And I you, Ned Nickerson."

He pulled her closer and their lips met, all soft and warm against each other.  
It was truly an unforgettable night for the couple.

* * *

The next morning, Nancy awoke bright and early as she was intending to go down to the bank in order to investigate her mother's will.  
She washed and dressed quickly and found her father sitting at the table with his coffee and newspaper while Hannah whipped up some breakfast.

"Good morning Nancy, the usual I presume?" Hannah chirped.

Nancy smiled. "Oh, yes please."

She poured herself some fresh orange juice and took a seat next to her father.

"Well, you certainly seem cheerful this morning." Carson commented.

Nancy nodded. "Indeed." She could hardly contain her delightful news of Ned's proposal.

"Thank you Hannah." Mr. Drew said, as the housekeeper placed a platter of eggs and toast before them.

"I have some very exciting news father." Nancy said, bouncing with excitement.

"I know." He replied.

Nancy ceased bouncing and gave her father a puzzled look. "You do?"

"Oh yes, of course I know." Carson said, as he folded up his paper and placed a cloth on his lap.

Nancy sat there, open-mouthed. "But how?"

"Well, Ned came over here one afternoon, before you returned home and he informed me of his intentions to ask you for your hand." The lawyer said casually.

Nancy felt the corners of her mouth turn up.

"I of course, had no objection as I have always thought of Ned as a bright and kind young man, who I am confident will treat you well and with much respect." He said pleased.

Nancy leaned forward and wrapped her arms around her father's neck. He did the same in return.  
When she pulled away, she saw that he had tears in his eyes.

"Kids," He chuckled. "They grow up so fast."

Nancy smiled encouragingly as she wiped away at his damp eyes.

"Oh father, I'll always be your little sleuth."

Presently, Hannah, who had been standing in the doorway and observing the scene with tears in her eyes, came up from behind and wrapped her arms around Carson and Nancy saying, "Oh Nancy dear, we're so proud of you."

After several minutes, the trio pulled away and Hannah wiped at her eyes.

"Now," she said, regaining her composure. "You better call up Bess and George, I'm sure they would love to help you with the wedding planning."

Nancy smiled. "Oh yes, they would be positively delighted!"

Nancy immediately called both friends and it was decided they would all meet for lunch in town around noon. Nancy however, withheld the news of Ned's proposal as she decided it was best to wait until she could speak with the girls in person.

"Ugh!" George complained over the phone. "The suspense is going to kill me before we can meet!"

Nancy giggled. "Well, you'll just have to hold on a little longer!" She said goodbye and hung up.

Nancy decided to go to the bank directly after breakfast and then go meet the girls for lunch. Mr. Drew wasn't exactly in favour of his daughter getting tangled up in yet another mystery but he knew that if anyone could solve the disappearance of his wife's property, it was Nancy.

"Just be careful and maintain a weary eye." He called after her on her way out the door.

"I will dad, see you at dinner!" And she was off.

* * *

The overhead bell rang as Nancy stepped through the entrance to the bank but the sound was quickly drowned out by all the comotion going on in the building as staff members bustled around assisting customers and the ringing of telephones echoed throughout the room. The young detective walked up to the reception desk and obeyed when asked by the man seated behind the desk to wait while he finished up with a phone call. While waiting, Nancy picked up a copy of the paper and found an entire article on her dad's latest case with the headline:

**Another Victory For Carson Drew!**

The words made Nancy smile with pride.

"How can I help you?" The receptionist asked, now finished with his phone call.

Nancy smiled, walking back up to the desk. "I'm hoping I might get a chance to view my mother's will? I believe it is kept in our safety deposit box."

"Name?" The man asked, thumbing through some papers in the file cabinet.

"Drew."

A few minutes passed before the man said, "Okay, I just need some identification in order for you to be able to view this document."

Nancy nodded, pulling out her passport and driver's license.  
The man nodded in return, rose from his seat and led her to the back room.  
He led her down several rows of deposit boxes before they came to the one she desired and pulling out two keys, the man opened the box and set it down on a nearby table.

Nancy smiled, "Thank you, I really appreciate it."

The man nodded. "Just call if you need anything else." And he left Nancy alone with the box.

Nancy took one last deep breath before opening the box and rifling through its contents.  
She found the will quite easily and scanned through the document several times before concluding that there was no mentioning of any package or what might have once been contained in it.  
Feeling rather discouraged, the young detective packed everything back up in the box and called for a staff member to assist her.  
Pretty soon, Nancy was exiting the bank and making her way to her convertible when she saw a tall man with dark curly hair breaking into her vehicle.

"Stop where you are!" Nancy shouted.

The man froze for just a moment before snatching what he wanted from the car and bolting down the street.  
Nancy wasted no time on chasing after the thief.

"Stop that man!" Nancy shouted as she passed by two men having coffee while in pursuit of the thief.

The two men jumped to their feet and attempted to apprehend the thief but he certainly was quick.  
He kicked and punched his way out of the two men's grasp, ran to a vehicle that had just pulled up to the curb and hopped in before it sped down the road, tires screeching as it did.

When Nancy caught up to the two men, she assisted them to their feet saying, "Thank you so much for your help."

"Well, I can't say we did much of anything seeing that he got away." One man said sheepishly.

Nancy pursed her lips. "No, it is most unfortunate but I managed to catch the license plate of the getaway vehicle." She spoke up.

"How resourceful of you!" The second man said. "Say, why were you after him anyway?"

Nancy quickly relayed her story of what she had witnessed.

"Gee, I'm really sorry miss. You had better report the incident to the police and be sure to notify them of the plate." The first man said.

Nancy nodded. "Oh, I will. And thank you again for your help."

The men both nodded. "Say, aren't you Carson Drew's daughter?" The second man asked her.

She smiled sheepishly. "Why yes, I am."

"Huh, well, I guess you won't be needing the police for this incident because you're sure to nab the thief before they do!" They praised her.

Nancy smiled and thanked the men one last time before returning to her vehicle and trying to figure out what was stolen.  
She gasped in shock.  
Her mother's letter, which she kept hidden safely in the glove compartment was missing!

Nancy found the nearest public telephone and dialed police headquaters to report the theft.

"Alright miss Drew, thanks for the call. We'll be on the lookout." Chief Mcginnis replied from the other end of the line.

Nancy thanked him and hung up.

* * *

A few minutes later, Nancy pulled up in front of the restaurant where she was to meet Bess and George.  
She immediately spotted the girls walking in the street.  
They waved and Nancy returned the gesture as she exited her vehicle.

"Nancy! Are you alright? You look awfully worn out." George commented.

Nancy quickly told her story of the morning's exciting events.

"Oh dear!" Bess exclaimed. "Who do you think the man was?"

Nancy shook her head. "I haven't got the slightest clue but whoever he is, he has something to do with my mother and whatever she left me in that package. And I'm starting to believe even more now, that Mr. Ryan's near accident with that automobile and the disappearance of the package's contents were no accident."


	6. Chapter VI

Chapter VI

The three girls entered the restaurant to be greeted by an avid waiter, who led them to a table by a window with crimson coloured curtains draped over it. In the center of the table sat a lighted candle and a vase of tulips. The waiter pulled each of the girl's chairs out for them to sit and presented them with menus.

"We have salmon with tomato soup and a garden salad for our special today. Signal for me when you are ready to order." He said with a kind smile.

Nancy nodded a thank you and the waiter wandered off. For the next several minutes, the girls engaged in lively conversation about the latest developments and speculations in Eleanor Drew's mystery. Nancy expressed her deep concern about what might be involved and in return, her friends provided comfort and encouragement.

When the girls were ready to order, Nancy held a hand up to signal their waiter and that is when Bess gasped and grabbed her friend's wrist in a tight grip exclaiming, "Nancy Drew! You have been holding out on us!"

Nancy had to keep herself from squealing at her friend's sudden outburst. "Whatever do you mean?" The young sleuth asked as she attempted to free her hand from her friend's clutch.

"How do you explain this?" Bess asked, pointing with her free hand at the ring around Nancy's finger.

Nancy sat there with a blank face and for once the young detective was at a loss for words. How could she have forgotten to tell her friends about Ned's proposal?

Bess released her friend's wrist and folded her own arms over her chest saying, "I'm waiting."

Nancy smiled sheepishly, her cheeks turning a bright shade of pink. "I guess I forgot to mention that Ned proposed?"

Bess threw her arms up in the air. "How could you forget to tell your best friends about something so important?!"

"I was intending to tell you girls over lunch today but I suppose it slipped my mind after the morning's events."

"You suppose so." George teased.

Nancy laughed. "Well, I have to admit, it also took me by surprise."

"Really?" George asked. "I saw it coming. In fact, I'm willing to bet the whole town did too."

"Was it really that obvious?" Nancy asked, her face turning pink all over again.

"Well, of course! I mean everyone knows Ned is extrememly fond of you and that you're very fond of him. Honestly, it was only a matter of time." George smiled teasingly at her pink-faced friend, who smiled back.

Bess, however, was still fuming in her seat. "I cannot believe you neglected to tell us, us! Your best friends! Well, you better have a great plan to make up for this." Bess said, as she slowly began to calm down.

Nancy smiled. "Oh yes, I was thinking somewhere along the lines of allowing you to plan the wedding."

Bess's eyes lit up.

"But you know, if you're too cross with me, than I can always find someone else for the task." Nancy teased.

Bess jumped from her seat and knelt at her friend's feet. "No! Please let me do it Nancy? Oh please! Please! Please! Please!" She begged.

"Oh for goodness sake, let her do it before she gets us kicked out of here." George pleaded as she buried her face in her hands.

Nancy smiled with a twinkle in her eyes. "Of course you can do it Bess, who better than you?"

Bess jumped to her feet and threw her arms around her friend's neck shouting, "Hooray!"

Nancy laughed as she hugged her friend back.

When Nancy finally managed to peel her friend's arms off from around her neck, Bess said as she took her seat, "Okay, you don't have to do anything Nancy, I've got this all under control. I'm thinking something small, maybe just close friends and family because let's face it; if we did one of those 'Big White Weddings', everyone you've ever assisted on a case would probably show up, regardless of whether or not they received an invitation."

Nancy and George giggled. As Bess went on, Nancy signaled the waiter and the three girls spent the rest of the meal talking and making wedding arrangements.

* * *

Nancy awoke to the sound of the telephone ringing. She heard Hannah answer it and after a few quick words were exchanged, the housekeeper's voice rang throughout the house as she called, "Nancy, chief Mcginnis is on the phone for you!"

Nancy was on her feet and bolting down the stairs in no time.

"Hello?" She said into the phone as soon as she caught her breath.

"Hello? Nancy?" The police chief's voice emanated from the device.

"Yes, this is Nancy Drew. Any news regarding the thief?"

"As a matter of fact, yes. And something good too." The chief returned.

Nancy smiled, delighted at the positivity in the man's voice.

"Did you catch the thief?" She asked eagerly.

"Er, no. But, we did get a tip about the getaway vehicle. It was seen on Charrlotte Ave. and was apparently reported stolen two days ago."

Nancy's pulse quickened as she said into the telephone, "I'll be right over chief!"

* * *

**Sorry this chapter is so short but I promise I'll try to get another one out later this week!**

**Hope you guys like it and that it was worth your time!**

**-birdywings **


	7. Chapter VII

Chapter VII

Nancy hung up, sprinted through the front door and began to drive away in her convertible before she even had her whole body in the vehicle. She didn't even stop once to think about combing her ruffled strawberry-blonde hair or getting a change of clothes, (she was still wearing the outfit from yesterday), or to even give her teeth a sufficient brushing, let alone grabbing a bite to eat.

"Nancy, you haven't even eaten anything! You can't go sleuthing on an empty stomach!" Hannah called after her, but Nancy was already on her way.

Hannah chuckled to herself as she closed the door. "So much like her mother." She sighed.

* * *

Nancy had barely parked her convertible before she jumped out and burst through the police headquaters entrance, her eyes lit with excitement, hair all tangled and clothes all wrinkled.

"Chief Mcginnis?" She panted.

The round and hearty man appeared from around the corner, his appearance much more immaculate compared to Nancy's, what with his clean and pressed uniform, rosy cheeks and his hat neatly planted atop his head.

He smiled warmly at Nancy. "Nancy, you got here quite fast."

She laughed. "Left as soon as I hung up."

The man laughed as he led Nancy into his office.

"So, we have obtained the address of the owner of the stolen vehicle if you're intending to pay him a visit. Other than that, I'm afraid we're still at a dead end with your elusive thief." He informed her.

Nancy felt her heart sink at the chief's last sentence but smiled nonetheless as she was grateful to at least get a chance to speak with the owner of the stolen property.  
Perhaps he could shed some light on the thief, maybe he has an idea as to where he's hiding or even as to who he is.

Nancy bit her lip and told herself not to get her hopes up. She instead said, "Oh yes, I am most definitely intending to pay him a visit."

"I expected as much." The chief said with a smile.  
He reached behind him into a file cabinet and rifled through some papers before turning back to Nancy and presenting her with a small sticky note with an address written in pen on it.

"Sorry we couldn't do more for you but we'll keep an eye out for the stolen vehicle." Chief Mcginnis said.

Nancy smiled, nodding. "Thank you for your help." And she rose to leave.

"Good luck Miss Drew! I have a feeling you'll have this case solved before anyone else!" The chief called after her on her way out the door.

Nancy couldn't help smiling and she stepped into the bright sunshine that greeted her outside.

* * *

Nancy pulled her convertible next to the curb and before her stood a little bright red house.  
Spotting the address, which ran alongside the front door, Nancy checked the sticky note chief Mcginnis had given her to verify she had the right house and sure enough, she did.  
Nancy climbed out of her vehicle and approached the little home.  
She knocked three times before a short man wearing dress clothes with short dark hair answered her call.

"Hello, how can I help you?"

Nancy smiled. "Mr. Gates?"

The man nodded, looking a little confused.

Nancy held out her hand to the little man saying, "I'm Nancy Drew, I understand that your vehicle was reported stolen a few days ago and I was hoping I might ask you a few questions about it."

Without taking her hand, Mr. Gates led Nancy inside.  
Though she was confused, Nancy followed the man through the door and into his living room, which was nicely decorated with exquisite artifacts. There were dozens of little pots painted with strange figures and symbols Nancy had never seen before. On the fireplace sat a box with its lid open, revealing several tiny stones, all had vibrant pastel colors.  
Nancy walked up to the collection and examined it a little without touching them.

Mr. Gates smiled. "Ah, that is my rare stone collection, when I was younger, I would travel all over the world in search of peculiar objects and I'd return home with many artifacts. Some I would find, others I bought from other collectors, it truly is a marvelous line of business."

Nancy listened intently to the man's story as she took a seat on the couch across from him.  
He poured some tea for the both of them and handed a mug to Nancy.

She smiled, "Thank you."

"So, what would you like to know about my stolen property?" Mr. Gates asked.

Nancy took a sip of her tea before answering. "Well, it just so happens that whoever stole your vehicle was using it as a getaway vehicle while they stole something from me."

The man gasped, astonished at the coincidence. "Well! I certainly hope the police catch this thief!"

Nancy nodded as she set her tea down. "I was hoping maybe you caught a glimpse of the thief? Or perhaps have some idea as to who he is?"

Mr. Gates took a moment to think before he shook his head vigorously. "I don't know who he is but I would advise you to keep away from them miss. I suspect they would likely bring you harm, best to leave this up to the police." And the man rose from his seat to let Nancy out.

Nancy didn't want to leave quite yet but she couldn't very well overstay her visit and so reluctantly, she rose from her seat and followed Mr. Gates to the door.

"Thank you for your time." Nancy said, holding out her hand once more.

Again, Mr. Gates didn't take the offer and instead said, "Do keep a weary eye Miss Drew and if you're smart, you'll stay out of this matter hmm?" And with that, the door shut in her face.

"Well!" Nancy exclaimed indignantly.

As she entered her vehicle, Nancy thought;_ There's something strange about Mr. Gates, about the way he acted. Perhaps I should stick around and see if I can learn anything. _

And so, Nancy backed her convertible away from the curb and parked it two blocks away before hiding in the hedge that ran along Mr. Gates' property to avoid being noticed.  
She had a sufficient view of the man's kitchen and could see him clearly as he answered a phone call. After a few quick words were exchanged, he hung up and sat at the table, looking anxious and alert, as if he were waiting for something. Or _someone.  
_Minutes, (that felt like hours to Nancy), passed before Mr. Gates put on his coat and walked out the door.  
She watched curiously as he ran down the path to the curb just as a car pulled up. And she watched even more curious and even excitedly now as she realized that the car Mr. Gates had climbed into, which now began to pull away, was the getaway vehicle from yesterday!


	8. Chapter VIII

Chapter VIII

Nancy stood frozen for only a moment before sprinting down the lawn and all the way to her convertible.  
She quickly caught up to the getaway vehicle and was careful to maintain a safe distance in order to avoid being noticed.

_Is Mr. Gates part of the theft? Or is he just an innocent man being forced into and even bigger plot?_ Nancy repeatedly asked herself those questions and many more as she trailed the vehicle ahead, which was now gaining speed.

"They must've seen me." Nancy told herself, laying a heavy foot on the accelerator.

The two vehicles chased each other through the streets of River Heights, as if playing a game of cat and mouse.  
They turned many sharp corners and dodged several other vehicles on the road. When they came to a red light, the getaway vehicle increased its speed and zipped through the intersection, almost colliding with a passing truck as it did.

Nancy slammed on the brake but quickly realized it wouldn't be enough to avoid the truck and so she turned a sharp right onto the next street. A scream escaped Nancy's lips as her convertible began to spin in multiple circles. The vehicle then jumped a curb, causing Nancy to hit her head against the windshield and she could already feel the blood trickle down her temple.

With one final jolt, the vehicle came to an abrupt stop just inches away from a streetlamp.  
Nancy took several shaky as she released the steering wheel from her firm grip one finger at a time. With a trembling hand, she reached up to her injury and felt the scarlet fluid ooze from the open wound. She flinched at her own touch.

"Hey Miss, you alright?" Nancy heard a voice call and immediately turned in the direction of it. It was the truck driver, running straight toward her.

Nancy tried to nod, but was too disoriented at the moment.  
The man opened the driver's door for her and assisted Nancy into a seating position on the pavement.

"That looks pretty bad." He said, eyeing Nancy's cut. "I'll go call you an ambulance, sit tight!" And the man took off for the nearest telephone.

Nancy tried to focus, but her vision was beginning to blur.

_Stay awake, _She told herself. _Stay awake._  
But her resistance was futile and the young detective lost consciousness right there on the curb!

* * *

Nancy woke to the beeps and whirs of machinery and immediately concluded she was in the hospital.  
She began to sit up and that is when she realized every muscle in her body ached. Giving her body a quick examination, Nancy found that she had received quite a few bruises running along her arms with one or two scrapes on her knees but other than that, there didn't appear to be any serious damage.  
Nancy automatically reached up to her cut and found that some stitches had been put in along with a few bandages placed over the wound.

Nancy tried calling for a nurse but found that her throat was too dry, she scanned the room and spotted a glass of water on a nearby table. She began to reach for it just as a nurse walked in.

The young woman smiled down at Nancy saying, "I'll go get your visitors."

Nodding, Nancy took little sips of her water as she waited.  
Her head was still a little fuzzy, though she still felt loads better than she had at the time of the accident, even with her stiff neck.

Nancy took one last sip of her water as many voices exclaimed,"Nancy you're awake!"  
And the tiny room began to fill with all her friends and family.

"Oh Nancy! We can't even begin to tell you how worried we all were!" Bess exclaimed, hugging her friend, despite Nancy's pleas not to as too much movement brought her discomfort due to her injuries.

"I'm fine Bess, really." Nancy had to smile at her friend's concern.

Finally, it was Mr. Drew's turn to both hug and scold his daughter for undertaking such a dangerous risk as an automobile chase.

"You could have been killed!" Carson went on.

Nancy smiled sheepishly. "I'm truly sorry dad, it's just that when I get caught up on a lead I simply just cannot resist following it until the end."

Mr. Drew's harsh expression softened into a slight smile. "Well, you get that from your mother." He told her as he sank down onto her bed and planted a kiss on his daughter's head.

"I just want you to be safe is all."

Nancy smiled up at her father. "I know dad and you know I'll be careful."

"Most of the time." George mumbled teasingly from the corner.

Nancy laughed a little.  
And for the next few hours, the group discussed their thoughts and speculations on the latest developments in the case.

"Well, you certainly have your work cut out for you my daughter," Mr. Drew said, giving Nancy another kiss as he rose to leave. "Unfortunately I have to head out now, I have a meeting to attend out of town so I won't see you for a couple of days."

"We'll take her home Mr. Drew." Bess spoke up.

Carson nodded a thank you and called as he stepped out of the room, "And Nancy? Try to stay out of trouble until I get back?"

With a mischievous smile and a gleam in her eyes, Nancy called back, "Oh, I will!"

"Yeah, we all know that won't happen." George said, as soon as Mr. Drew was out of earshot.  
All three girls had to laugh.

* * *

After Nancy's bandages were changed and she was given medicine to help with the pain, the trio took off down the road toward her house.

"Thanks girls, I'll talk to you tomorrow." Nancy called, as she entered her house.

The cousins waved farewell from the road and drove off.

As soon as Hannah saw the state Nancy was in, the housekeeper wasted absolutely no time on whipping up some chicken noodle soup for Nancy and making her as comfortable as possible.

"Honestly Hannah, I'm fine, don't you worry about me. I'm sure you have better things to do." Nancy tried to tell the nurturing woman but she just simply wouldn't listen.

"Nope, I don't want to hear it. You are going to eat up your dinner and get some rest for the remainder of the evening, no more detective work for the rest of the night understood?"

Nancy of course, wanted to protest as she was eager to learn how Mr. Gates was involved in the mystery but she bit back her lip and nodded. After all, Hannah had treated her as if Nancy were her own daughter since the age of three and only meant to do right by her and Nancy loved her for it.  
And so, Nancy spent the rest of the evening confined to her bed, but not before telephoning police headquaters and informing the chief of her suspicions of Mr. Gates and suggesting that they send two plainclothes men to the man's house in case anyone attempts to return to the property. Directly after the phone call, the young sleuth went to bed, resting with Hannah's ever-watchful eye never looking away from the young woman she had grown to love so much.

* * *

By the time Nancy woke up the next day, it was already mid-afternoon.

"Oh my!" She exclaimed. "How I have wasted precious time sleeping when I could be sleuthing!"

She stood up from her bed, feeling greatly refreshed from yesterday, and took a moment to rub the sleep from her eyes.  
That's when Hannah entered her room saying with a smile, "Bess is on the phone for you."

Nancy smiled and dashed out of the room to the phone after telling the housekeeper how wonderfully refreshing her chicken soup was. The kind woman chuckled with a smile on her face at this as she began tidying up the house.

"Hello?"Nancy said into the phone.

"Nancy? Oh thank goodness it's you! Oh, it was horrible, just positively horrible!" Bess exclaimed into the phone.

"Bess, you're not making much sense. What was so horrible?"

Nancy could detect the distress in her friend's voice as she said, "The thieves! They attacked George and me!"


	9. Chapter IX

**Hi guys!**

**Sorry this chapter took awhile, I was really busy last week.  
**

**Anyway, to avoid any confusion, this chapter is told from Bess and George's point of views and it's retelling their encounter with the thieves from earlier in the day.**

**Hope you guys enjoy!**

**-birdywings**

Chapter IX

"Oh George, just try this one and it will be the last, I promise."

"That's what you said about the last four." George said, as she swatted at her cousin's hand, which held a small dark chocolate truffle with light pink swirls covering the top.

"For goodness sake Bess, I am in desperate need of REAL food, no more of this sweet stuff." George said as she gave her cousin's hand one final shove.

Bess pushed back. "Oh please George! Last one and then we'll go eat, I promise. Please? I can't do this alone."

George sighed with a roll of her eyes and allowed her cousin to place the small, sweet delicacy on the tip of her tongue.

"Well? What do you think?" Bess asked with anticipation.

George took a moment to chew and swallow the treat, feeling the chocolate melt on her tongue and trickle down her throat.

"It tastes exactly like the rest of them, now can we please go?"

Bess clicked her tongue. "Can you please be more specific than that?"

"Fine," George snapped. "It tastes worse than the rest of them, much, much worse. Now can we go?" And with that, George pushed passed her unyielding cousin toward the exit.  
Reluctantly, Bess followed.

The day was warm with the sun shining brightly through the clouds and just the right amount of breeze in the air.  
The two young women weaved their way through the crowd on the sidewalk, lugging all their shopping bags with them.

"Honestly George, you're not making this easy. I don't even know why I brought you along." Bess sighed.

George, wanting to get as far away from the little truffle shop as possible, stepped ahead of her cousin saying, "Once I get some real food in me, I'll be just fine."

"You better be. Nancy is counting on us to plan her wedding, so it better be an unforgettable one."

"Correction, she is counting on you to plan her wedding, I just got dragged into this." George muttered.

"Oh, quit complaining, it's not so bad. Once we've decided on the food, we can start with the dresses and it only gets better from there." Bess chirped.

"Oh yeppy." George groaned.

Bess skipped into step with her cousin and linked arms with her.

"Oh!" Bess gasped as she pointed a finger at a clothing store window. "Look, look, look!" She bounced.

"What, what, what?" George demanded as she looked around frantically.

Bess took her cousin's face in her hands and turned her gaze toward the window where two coral colored dresses were displayed on mannequins.  
Bess grasped George's hand and pulled her reluctant cousin into the store.  
The overhead bell chimed as they stepped through the store entrance and the avid owner came up to greet the cousins.

"Hello, I'm Michelle. Welcome to my store, are you interested in anything particular?" The owner said.

Bess and George exchanged a look of understanding before Bess pointed a finger at the window display saying, "We would like to try those dresses on."

Michelle nodded and scurried over to the window to retrieve the clothing articles.  
She set them up in separate fitting rooms and the girls slipped into the dresses.

"Oh, this is just darling!" George heard her cousin exclaim from the other side of her fitting room door.

"George, get out here! Let's see how you look!"

George gave the coral summer dress one last tug before stepping out into the waiting room.  
Bess gasped.

"Oh, you look positively precious!"

George sized herself up in the mirror.

"It's missing something." George concluded.

"Whatever do you mean?" Bess asked, exasperated.

"I'm not sure, perhaps a shawl?"

Bess's eyes lit up. "Then let us go search for one."

The two girls made way for the clothing racks, in search of matching shawls for their beautiful coral lace, summer dresses.

"Have you heard from the boys at all?" George asked her cousin as they rifled through the many rows of sweaters.

Bess frowned. "I did talk to Dave last night. He said he, Burt and Ned were leaving from Emerson this morning and should arrive by early evening. Ned of course, wanted to leave immediately last night in order to visit Nancy."

George smirked. "Did you make sure to tell him that Nancy's fine?"

"Of course I did, we all know Nancy is most resilient. But Ned simply wouldn't hear it, he had to see her for himself. Finally Dave and Burt were able to convince Ned that Nancy could wait until morning. Good thing too, the roads were awful last night."

"I'm glad." George finished, as she pulled two cherry red shawls from the rack and presented them to her cousin.

Bess jumped with glee. "You my dear cousin, simply have a knack for finding the most precious things."

* * *

"That was simply delicious." Bess sang as the two girls exited the restaurant they stopped at for lunch.

"You have never been more correct Bess." George commented as she gave her stomach a rub. "I'm not sure I'll be able to fit in my bridesmaid dress anymore." She laughed.

"Yes, I do believe we practically cleaned out the whole restaurant." Bess added.

George laughed. "Indeed, we almost put them out of business."

And the cousins laughed all the way over to their car.  
As George rummaged around in her handbag for the key, Bess stared off at the opposite street and noticed two men; one was tall, with dark curly hair and a dark scruffy beard. The other was rather short, with short dark hair.

Bess gasped in horror. "George! Isn't that Mr. Gates and Nancy's thief? Or at least what she described them to look like?"

George immediately snapped to attention and followed her cousin's gaze as she said, "Why yes Bess, you're absolutely right! And look, there's the getaway vehicle!" George however, refrained from pointing across to the men for fear they might notice the girls watching and harm them.

George sank down onto the pavement, pulling her cousin down with her as they curiously watched the two men enter the getaway vehicle and back out of the alley they had parked in.

"We should follow them." George concluded.

Bess looked incredulously at her cousin. "George, are you insane? We need to call the police!"

George flashed her cousin a look, still watching the thieves out of the corner of her eye. "Even if we do call the police, by the time they get here, the thieves will have been long gone. We have a better chance at catching them if we follow them now and call for aid later." George said as she pulled the car key out of her handbag and got to her feet.

"I think all that food is getting to your head." Bess said, a slight tremble in her voice.

"If you're too chicken to come with me, then you can stay behind and call the police." George said, as she climbed into the driver's seat.

"No way! What if they harm you? You'll surely need backup, I am coming with you." Bess protested.

"Alright, but don't say I didn't warn you."

* * *

The cousins trailed the thieves for well over an hour until finally, they came to a dilapidated apartment building in a small part of town.  
George parked her vehicle a long way away to avoid being seen and watched as the thieves parked their vehicle down an alleyway.  
The cousins watched the thieves with their breaths held, as they met up with a third figure, though the trio was too far away for the cousins to distinguish any features.  
A few words were exchanged between the three figures before the third unknown suspect entered a vehicle and drove off.

George released her breath and turned to her cousin. "Okay, now we can go call the police." She whispered, even though no one was near them.

Bess nodded as her cousin turned the engine on. "Who do you think that third figure was?" She asked, voice trembling.

George shook her head. "I don't know but what's important now is that we notify the police immediately."

Bess nodded. "Right, of course."

And just as George began to back her vehicle out of the parking spot, Bess's door flung open and a hand reached in and grasped Bess by her collar!  
Bess screamed as she was dragged from her seat and out onto the pavement.

"Bess!" George shouted after her cousin, as she watched in horror at the sight.

George attempted to fight the hand but just then, the driver's door also flung open and in reached another hand headed straight for George!  
George kicked the hand with all her might and it pulled back as a man groaned in agony. George then, took her chance and jumped from her seat into the afternoon sun.

A man stood before her, the one with the curly dark hair and scruffy beard. Now recovered from his injured hand, he stood crouched, looking ready to attack George any minute now.  
He lunged at her and took hold of her shoulder. George however, was not only quick but also trained in judo lessons, and so she grasped the man's hand and flipped him over her shoulder, causing him to land flat on his back.

The man took a moment to recover from the blow before he jumped to his feet and made a dash for his car. George began to take after him when she heard her cousin's shriek again and her attention immediately turned to Bess being dragged off into the fading afternoon light.  
George ran up to her cousin's captor, who indeed proved to be Mr. Gates, and kicked him in his backside. He cried out in pain and released his hold of Bess.

"Go Bess! Call the police! I'll handle this clown." George shouted after her cousin as Bess scurried down the road in search of the nearest public telephone.

Mr. Gates stood from his knees and got ready to attack once more, though he was an older man and failed to meet George's speed. George kneed him in the shin and sent him flying over her shoulder just she had done to the first thief.  
George stood over Mr. Gates, who lay flat on his back with his hands up in surrender, George smiled with approval. And the two waited for Bess to return with the police.

* * *

Bess arrived at the telephone out of breath and in utter shock from the events. Nevertheless, she picked up the phone, quickly dialed police headquaters and quickly relayed her story to them. And after promising to be there soon, the police hung up, after which Bess dialed Nancy's number to tell her the latest news on the case.

Hannah Gruen picked up and Bess immediately told her to retrieve Nancy for her.

"Hello?" Bess's friend said into the phone.

"Nancy?" Bess asked, relieved. "Oh, thank goodness it's you! Oh, it was horrible, just positively horrible!" Bess cried into the phone.

"Bess, you're not making much sense. What was so horrible?" Nancy asked, confused.

Bess took one last breath, attempting to calm herself before exclaiming into the phone, "The thieves! They attacked George and me!"


	10. Chapter X

Chapter X

Nancy arrived at the scene to find that the police had already arrived and were attempting to asses the situation.

"Nancy, I should've guessed you would show up sooner or later." Chief Mcginnis said with open arms.

Nancy embraced the family friend and inquired of her friends.

"Bess is sitting in the ambulance, the paramedics are attempting to calm her down. George I believe is walking the detectives through the attack." The chief informed her.

Nancy nodded a thank you and went to check on Bess while she waited for George to wrap things up with the detectives.  
When she rounded the corner, Nancy discovered her friend seated on the edge of the emergency vehicle, her legs dangling over the end with an oxygen mask placed over her face.  
Bess's face brightened as soon as she caught sight of her friend. She pulled the mask off her face and ran to hug Nancy.

"Oh Nancy, thank goodness you're here! It was just terribly frightning!" She cried.

Nancy patted her distressed friend's back. "No need to fret, you're safe now Bess."

As Nancy soothed her friend's nerves and seated her in the ambulance once more, a male voice called from behind her; "Nancy!"

The young detective whirled around to find her fiance sprinting toward her. With a smile, she made a dash for him and Ned wrapped her up in his arms, lifting his fiance off the ground.

"Nancy, I'm so glad you're safe." Ned whispered into her neck.

Nancy smiled and said as he set her back down on her feet. "You know me Ned, always sticking my nose where it isn't wanted."

Ned sighed, planting a kiss in her strawberry-blonde hair. "I know, I just tend to worry about you."

She smiled up at him, a gleam in her eyes, feeling happy and content once more to be in his arms.  
Wrapping an arm around her shoulder, the couple made their way toward the ambulance where Dave was seated with his arm wrapped protectively around Bess.

"Nancy!" Chief Mcginnis called.

All four heads turned in the direction of the voice to find the chief, George and Burt standing by a police cruiser with Mr. Gates in handcuffs.  
Nancy gasped at the sight of the man as her suspicions of him were now confirmed. He gave her a deflated and helpless expression.

"We could really use your help confirming his identity Nancy." The chief said, nodding toward his detainee.

Nancy stepped toward the man and after looking him over a few times just to be certain, she said with a nod of her head; "Yes, this man is Mr. Gates. The man I saw enter the getaway vehicle at his house."

"And the man who attacked Bess and me." George mumbled with a menacing look toward Mr. Gates.

With a nod of his head, the chief shoved his detainee into the backseat of the police cruiser saying, "We'll try to get as much information from him as possible, you can even stop by headquaters and question him yourself if you would like." He told Nancy.

Nancy nodded and watched as the chief climbed in the driver's seat and drove off in the cruiser.

* * *

Nancy awoke bright and early the next morning, completely refreshed and ready to tackle whatever challenges were in store for her that day.  
Both Bess and George had spent the night as they were still shaken up from the events of yesterday, Bess more so than George.  
Hannah Gruen had taken the liberty of preparing a nice comforting breakfast for the trio that morning, which consisted of; a platter of a variety of fruit, individual plates of eggs, bacon and toast and freshly squeezed orange juice.

Bess sighed, sipping the refreshing beverage contently, now happy to be sitting comfortably on the Drew's living room floor by the fire, safely contained in their house and surrounded by her two best friends.

George set her empty plate down saying, "So, what's our next move regarding the case?"

Nancy set her glass on her lap as she contemplated this. "I was thinking," She began. "That perhaps we should allow the police time to question Mr. Gates and see what they can find out, chief Mcginnis even said I can question him myself if I would like but I think it would be best if I let him do it first. After all, I think we could all use a short break from sleuthing."

"Oh, yes please!" Bess begged. "The events from last night certainly gave me quite the fright!"

"Oh, it wasn't that scary. In fact, it was great practice for my judo." George laughed as she raised her glass.

Bess folded her arms in disapproval. "Well, the one good thing that did come out of last night's events was the capture of at least one of those awful men." She shivered.

Nancy smiled in reassurance. "Indeed you're correct Bess and while the police are interviewing Mr. Gates, I suggest we meet up with the boys for the afternoon."

"Oh yes! What a wonderful idea! We can even get some more wedding planning done." Bess cheered.

George groaned. "Not more truffle tasting."

Nancy laughed and the three friends finished the last of their meal before freshening up and leaving to meet the boys in town.

* * *

"How about this one?" Dave asked the group, as he held a yellow and white plaid tuxedo out to his friends.

"If you want to look like a lemon meringue pie then by all means." Burt said, ruffling his friend's blonde, messy hair.

The group laughed and continued strolling down the line of stores.

"Okay, why don't we begin with the food? I know a terrific restaurant that would make the perfect wedding meal." Bess chirped.

"Or we could just ask Hannah if she could be our chef, I'm sure she would be more than glad to be the one for the task." George piped up.

Nancy nodded. "I agree with George. After all, everyone simply loves her cooking and I think I would rather Hannah than anyone else." She looked to her fiance for his opinion.

Smiling Ned said, "Who better than Hannah?"

"Than it's settled!" Bess sang. "Now all that's left to do is finding the bride's dress and the boys tuxedos."

"Well, we can't shop for those together!" George spoke up. "The dress should be a surprise!"

"Hey, what about our dashing tuxes?" Burt asked. "Aren't they also supposed to be a surprise?"

George waved him off as she ushered her friends down the sidewalk. "They're tuxedos, they're all the same. No one really notices the difference."

Nancy and Bess laughed as they walked along.

"Have fun you three! And try not to get any that make you look like lemon meringue pies!" Bess called over her shoulder.

"Alright girls, where shall we begin?" George inquired.

"Ooh! Let's try that bridal boutique over there!" Bess bounced with excitement and she dragged her friend's to the store entrance before either of them could protest.

After being greeted by the proprietor, Bess skipped along the isles, running her hand along the countless dresses until she picked out the four she liked best and presented them to Nancy. With a wide smile on her face, Bess shoved the dresses in her friend's hands and ushered her into a fitting room before Nancy could say a word.

George laughed. "Honestly Bess, you're so excited that you act like this is your wedding."

Bess smiled sheepishly and said with determination, "I should do this for a living."

"Shove dresses in people's hands?"

"No! Plan weddings." Bess said, a dazed look in her eyes.

Presently, Nancy stepped out of the fitting room and posed for her friends.

George felt her jaw drop. "What are you wearing?"

"Oh! it's positively perfect!" Bess exclaimed.

"Yes, if you're planning to attend a costume party dressed as a peacock." George said, as she plucked one of the many feathers from the waist of the gown.

"It is rather embellished." Nancy said hesitantly.

"Well, we've got an entire store to choose from, so try away my friend!" Bess said, eyes lighting up.

And again, her cousin groaned. "At this rate, we'll be here for the rest of our lives."

Nancy giggled as Bess shoved her back in the fitting room.

As the hours ticked by, Nancy tried on dress after dress and rejected dress after dress. It wasn't until close to dinnertime that the girls finally settled on a gown that ended at Nancy's feet, allowing enough movement to dance with thick straps at the arms and a small white rose at the right side of the waist.

"Oh, it's just darling!" Bess cried.

George nodded her approval. "You look lovely Nancy."

Nancy smiled at the compliments and reentered her fitting room to change back into her regular clothes.

"Oh my, look at the time!" George exclaimed. "I suggest we go meet the boys now, hopefully they were slightly successful in their shopping hunt."

The girls nodded in agreement and as Bess paid for their purchase, after insisting she buy Nancy's dress, Nancy asked the proprietor if she could borrow her telephone. She was intending to call chief Mcginnis and inquire what progress he had made with Mr. Gates.  
When the chief answered he told her no, he had not made much progress and suggested that Nancy come over and give it a try. After telling the chief she would be by in a few minutes, she hung up and her friends came up to her expectantly.

"Well?" They both asked.

"Let's go find the boys, we have some interviewing to do."


	11. Chapter XI

**Hi everyone!**

**I am so so so so so so so so so so so incredibly sorry it took me so long to post this! I really hope you guys haven't given up on me just yet! Because I promise you guys; I'm not giving up on this story until we reach the very end of the last word!**

**Anyway, really sorry again guys and I thank everyone that continues to read and review my story!  
I'll try my very best to get the next chapter out sooner!**

**Please enjoy!**

**-birdywings**

* * *

Chapter XI

After finding the boys, the group filed into their two vehicles; Bess, George, Burt and Dave left in Burt's vehicle while Ned and Nancy left in Nancy's convertible. It was agreed that only Nancy and Ned would be making the trip to the police headquarters that night.

As Nancy drove along the road, Ned asked her, "So, any luck with the dress?"

Nancy tried to suppress her smile but failed. "Most definitely, though it took us quite awhile but in the end, we came out victorious."

Ned smiled. "Perhaps I should ask Bess and George to help me instead. Burt and Dave were only good for banter."

Nancy laughed and the couple continued on their way. It wasn't long before they reached headquarters and met up with chief McGinnis in the lobby. Almost immediately he led them to his suspect in the back, informing them of his progress so far, which unfortunately wasn't much.

"I really hope you have an easier time than I did." The chief told Nancy as she entered the room where the deflated little man sat with his shoulders sagging in defeat and his hands cuffed to the table between them.

"Be careful." Ned whispered after her as the door shut.

Nancy took a seat across from Mr. Gates, who didn't so much as glance up at her.

She opened her mouth to speak but Mr. Gates beat her to it. "And now I suppose the chief has sent you in here to do his bidding."

Nancy gave the insolent man a wry smile as she said quite satisfactorily, "Sorry to disappoint you, but I can assure you I have come here on my own terms."

He folded his arms at this with a conceited expression on his face. "And what makes you think you can get me to talk when even the chief couldn't?"

Nancy smiled again, rather pleased he had asked this. "Well, for starters, I would like to ask you why you reported your car stolen."

Mr. Gates straightened up indignantly. "Because it was stolen! My property was taken from me!"

"Then why did I see you drive away from your house in your vehicle with a strange figure?" Nancy questioned, arms folded across her chest.

Her suspect hesitated, appearing to be at a loss for words, but he quickly recovered. "I have no idea who that person was! All I know is that my vehicle was stolen one day and I get a phone call the next with some guy warning me if I don't do what they ask, then they'll harm my daughter!"

Nancy shakes her head slightly, amazed at the man's story. "Are you trying to tell me that the second man who helped you attack my friends is threatening your daughter's life?"

Mr. Gates rolled his eyes. "I'm begging you, you have to keep my daughter safe! She can't know what kind of danger she's in."

Nancy slowly nodded her head. "I promise you, I will do whatever I can to help your daughter but this does not excuse your part in the attack against my friends."

Mr. Gates hung his head.

Nancy pursed her lips. "However, I suppose I can see what I can do to help your case."

The man's head sprang up.

"But if, and only if, you help me." Nancy told him.

Mr. Gates frowned. "I suppose you want information about what I know." He mumbled.

"It certainly would help." Nancy said hopefully.

The man gave a sigh before telling Nancy, "Well, I can tell you I don't know much but what I do know is that there are more than two people involved in whatever this is. And that whatever they stole from that package of yours, they stowed away at my house."

Nancy's eyes widened.

"Though," Mr. Gates continued. "They probably went back for it now that I've been taken into custody."

Nancy's face fell for a moment before she stood, deciding to drive straight to Mr. Gates's house in hopes that she can get there before the other thieves return to retrieve her stolen property.  
Though Nancy still found him to be quite mistrustful, she thanked Mr. Gates for his cooperation and promised him once again that she would do whatever she could to help his daughter before leaving the room to find Ned and the chief waiting outside.

She quickly told them what she had learned and Ned immediately offered to accompany her to the suspect's residence. Chief Mcginnis told the couple he would meet up with them, along with a few men, as soon as he could after promising to keep an eye on Mr. Gates's daughter.  
And with that, Ned and Nancy set off for their destination.

They arrived within minutes and as the couple began to approach the property, two men emerged from the hedge running along the lawn, saying with an urgent tone; "Halt! Who goes there?"

Ned and Nancy froze in their tracks, looking quizzically at the two men, both of who shined their flashlights in the couple's faces.  
Nancy raised a hand to shield her eyes from the light.

"Who are you and what business do you have here?" One of the men asked.

Ned spoke on their behalf. "I'm Ned and this is Nancy, we were granted permission by the police chief to investigate this house, which is owned by a suspected thief, who is now in custody."

The men lowered the lights. "Sorry for frightening you. My name is Todd and this is Jackson, we're the two plainclothesmen the chief sent over here to keep an eye on the property in case anyone should return."

"And has anyone come back for anything?" Nancy inquired eagerly.

They shook their heads. "Not that we know of." Jackson spoke up.

Ned glanced at Nancy and smiled at the excited gleam in her eyes.  
The couple told the two men that they were going to thoroughly investigate the house and that they shouldn't be too long.

As soon as Nancy stepped in the door, she immediately went about examining bookshelves, picture frames and any other small and tight spaces she could think of while Ned went knocking along the walls just in case there might be a secret compartment of some sort.

After carefully investigating every room, the couple was still empty-handed.

Nancy sighed in frustration. "How could it not be here? Jackson said no one has returned for anything."

Ned took his fiance's hands. "That they know of, so anyone could have returned while they were off-duty. And we don't even know what it is that we're looking for, it could be anything in this house!" He said, attempting to soothe Nancy's worries.

She nodded. "You're absolutely right Ned. We should keep searching, there has to be something we can use as a lead in here."

And so, the couple once again began scouring the many rooms in search of any possible clues. Quite a bit of time passed before something caught Nancy's eye.

She gasped and Ned came rushing over. "You found something?" He asked.

Nancy pulled the book that had caught her eye from the shelf she had been examining and opened it as the object appeared to contain something in its pages.  
She discovered a beige folder marked 'classified' at the end of the book and her hands began to tremble at the sight of it.

_Could this folder be what her mother had left for her? _

Ned placed his hands on Nancy's shoulders and gave her an encouraging squeeze.  
Taking one last deep breath, Nancy took hold of the folder's cover and pulled it aside.

To her utter disappointment, the folder was emptied of whatever it had once contained.


	12. Chapter XII

Chapter XII

Chief Mcginnis soon arrived at the house with two other policemen at his side.  
Nancy informed the chief of her unsuccessful investigation as she handed over the beige folder for evidence, to which he replied with even more discouraging news.

Rubbing at the rear of his neck with his hand, the chief told Ned and Nancy; "Er, as soon as you two set off for his house, we began to transfer Mr. Gates to a temporary holding facility. We were just loading him into one of our cruisers when two masked men pulled up in the getaway vehicle and attacked my men, taking Mr. Gates with them."

"Oh! How dreadful!" Nancy exclaimed.

The chief nodded. "Thankfully, my men weren't seriously injured, however, we did lose our only suspect."

"These men haven't had a chance to harm Mr. Gates's daughter yet, have they?" Ned inquired.

"Actually, that is exactly what I wanted to talk to you about."

Nancy and Ned glanced curiously at each other.

"As soon as I heard we had lost Mr. Gates, I decided to do a little digging. I checked phone records, personal files and even for a birth certificate but I wasn't able to find any paperwork on any Mr. Gates who might own this property, much less a daughter of his."

"Oh my." Nancy whispered under her breath.

"So, my guess is; This man, whoever he is, gave us Mr. Gates as an alias and is really in on whatever this bigger plot is, along with our other suspects whom we have not been able to catch so far."

Nancy was too astonished to speak.  
Now that Mr. Gates was gone, how was she ever supposed to reveal his true identity? And more importantly; how was she ever going to solve her mother's mystery if she keeps ending up right back at square one?

"Please accept my sincerest apologies for allowing Mr. Gates to escape." The chief told the couple, who were still trying to process the situation. "And please know that we will do everything we can to capture him once more."

"Thank chief, we'd very much appreciate it." Ned said.

And, with a shake of their hands, the chief continued up the path leading to the property.  
Meanwhile, Nancy and Ned decided it was time to give the sleuthing a rest for the night.

"How do you feel about a nice, quiet dinner?" Ned asked, glancing down at Nancy.

"Hmm, sounds nice. It's only eight thirty after all."

That was all the reply Ned needed, as he walked ahead of Nancy and opened the passenger door for her.

The wind whipped in Nancy's face as they drove along in the night with the daylight fading and melting into the shadows behind them. The ember glow of streetlights flashed by one after the other, making the entire drive seem as if it were a dream. All the while, Nancy was contemplating what her next move would be;  
With this so-called Mr. Gates on the loose with who knows how many more criminals, Nancy is left with zero suspects and very little leads to go on.

She sighed, as she rested her cheek against her the window frame, wishing her mother had left more than a note and package for her to go on. What exactly had her mother been intending for Nancy to solve?

Nancy's reverie was interrupted when Ned lay a hand on her shoulder. "How does Italian sound?" He asked, nodding toward an Italian restaurant on his side of the street.

With as much smile as she could muster at the moment, Nancy replied with; "Sounds wonderful."

* * *

The meal was delicious and took place without a single disturbance.  
As the couple finished what was left on their plates, two young women stepped out onto the stage in the centre of the room. The first woman sat at the piano before her while the second took to a violin set off to the side and together, the two women began to play a calm and steady tune, like the continuous flow of a river.

Ned rose from his seat and stood over his date with his hand outstretched to her. "May I have the privilege of a dance with you Nancy?" He asked.

And for the first time all night, Nancy was able to smile without any effort as she took his hand saying, "Why of course."

And together, the young couple took to the dance floor in a waltz position. With his hand around her waist, Ned dipped Nancy and swiftly pulled her back onto her feet before spinning her outward and back into his arms.  
Nancy lay her head on his shoulder, sighing deeply with a smile spreading all the way across her face. Ned always seemed to know just how to calm her nerves.

With a final dip and a shared kiss of their lips, the song came to an end and the couple approached the stage to praise the two musicians for their lovely music.

"You both played beautifully." Nancy told the women.

Blushing, the first woman said with a sheepish smile, "Thank you, I'm very pleased you enjoyed the show."

"We play here every Tuesday and Thursday nights between five and nine o'clock." The second woman said.

"Well, we'll definitely have to come here again." Ned said.

After bidding the musicians farewell, Ned and Nancy exited the restaurant and as they made their way to where they had parked Nancy's convertible, they were approached by a man with brown wavy hair, an older-looking complexion dressed in a suit and tie. He had a few black streaks going across his face that appeared to be grease marks.

"Hey," He began. "It looks like I'm having some car trouble, would you mind giving me a hand mister?" He said, as he wiped away at the grease on his face, which only caused it to smear.

Nodding, Ned told Nancy he would meet her at the car in a few minutes before he followed the man to his vehicle.  
As Nancy continued walking down the sidewalk, she once again, began to strategize her next move on the mystery.  
She considered taking Mr Gates's license plate number and photo to different police stations, hoping to spread the word of his crimes but she also guessed that the criminals might have ditched the getaway vehicle for a new one by now.

These thoughts continued to race through her mind as she pulled her car key from her handbag only for it to fall from her hand as a hand clamped over her mouth in a tight grip!

* * *

**Sorry for the cliffhanger! Hehehe I'm so evil!XD**

**Hope you guys liked it and I'm really hoping to get another chapter out by this weekend but we'll see:)**

**-birdywings**


	13. Chapter XIII

**Hi Everyone! **

**I'm so glad you guys haven't abandoned me yet!**

**Sorry about the cliffhanger in my last chapter, hehe. And yes, I pulled the 'unknown hand clamping over mouth' stunt, I know it's really old or whatever but come on guys; you can't have a Nancy Drew story without a mysterious hand clamping over her mouth!**

**Anyway, I've left you guys hanging long enough, go enjoy the story now! (I don't even think anyone actually reads my author notes). **

**Enjoy!**

**-birdywings**

Chapter XIII

Nancy had been in enough life-threatening situations to know what was happening.  
As soon as a hand clamped over her mouth, she began to buck her legs, attempting to throw her captor off balance but he appeared to be a strong man of a large build, indeed proving to be difficult to overtake. Still, Nancy resisted in any way she could.  
She continued to kick as well as elbow her captor in the ribs and even bite his hand, but her efforts were useless.

Nancy also tried to get a better view of the man's face, however, the shadows of the evening concealed his identity quite well.  
A wave of panic washed over the young detective as she realized her captor was dragging her toward a vehicle that had just pulled up. What appeared to be a woman exited the vehicle and assisted the man in forcing Nancy into the trunk.

She continued to fight them, trying to yell for help but her calls only came out muffled and incoherent.  
As they shoved her into the vehicle, Nancy managed to elbow the woman in the nose, causing her to bleed and kick the man in his shin. This retaliation bought her enough time to escape their clutches and the sleuth ran. However, she did not get far as the man, though as large as he was, was quick and with one final lunge, he grasped Nancy's wrist and covered her mouth with his hand once more before she could cry out. But this time, he held a cloth to her nose, which reeked of something with a most pungent odor.

Finally, her captors loaded her limp body into the trunk and that was the last thing Nancy remembered before she blacked-out.

* * *

"Help! Help me! I'm in here!" Ned called, as load as he could as he pounded with his fists and feet on the door.

He was locked in a trunk and as he continued to pound away at the door, he found himself attempting to recall how he had ended up in this situation.

* * *

Like the gentleman he was, Ned had gone to help what he thought was a man in need of some assistance with his car. And so, he left his fiance for what he had hoped would only be a few minutes.

He followed the stranger to his vehicle, which had its hood propped open with little plumes of black smoke rising from the engine inside.  
Ned approached the vehicle and peered inside to examine the damage.

The stranger scratched his head. "I honestly don't know what happened, I get out of the restaurant and try to start the engine but it just goes dead." He explains.

Straightening up, Ned rubs his hands saying, "Don't worry, this shouldn't take long." And he gets to work.

Several minutes had ticked by before Ned had somewhat determined the problem.  
He asks the stranger to hand him the screwdriver and when Ned leans once more into the engine, he is hit with something hard and metal from behind.  
His head throbs with pain and oozes blood until he finally loses consciousness.

* * *

And that is how he finds himself in this current situation.  
As soon as he had gained consciousness, his first thought was of Nancy and what might have happened to her.

"They must have been working with the criminals." Ned told himself under his breath.

This thought angered him, which only made him pound even harder against the interior of the trunk.  
He continued to call out and it wasn't until countless minutes tick by that his calls were finally heard.

"Hello? Is someone there?" He heard a muffled voice call from outside.

Ned's hopes soared and he called back, "Yes! I'm in here! Please, you have to help me! My beautiful fiance is in danger!"

* * *

It was nearly eleven o'clock by the time Ned was freed from the trunk.

As soon as he was out, his first question was, "Where is Nancy?"

He took in the scene;

Police cars were scattered in all directions, the couple who had heard Ned's cries were giving a statement to an officer, Bess, George, Burt and Dave were all by Ned's side, embracing him and telling him how worried they all were when they had heard where he was.

"First thing's first," The chief said. "We need to get you some medical attention." He gestured toward the gash on Ned's head, which still trickled with blood.

Ned tried to take a step forward, only to drop to his knees as he felt disoriented from the blow he received earlier.  
His friends rushed to his side and guided him toward the ambulance off to the side.

"Can you recall what it was your were hit with?" The paramedic asked.

Ned closed his eyes a minute, cringing at the cool touch of the cloth the paramedic used to clean his wound.

"A wrench I think? I don't know. Now when can we start searching for Nancy?" He asked impatiently.

The chief pursed his lips. "Believe me Ned, if I knew where she was, I would be out there myself right at this moment. But we don't know where they took her, whoever they are."

"We're wasting time!" Ned said, rising to his feet and trying to ignore the blurriness in his vision. "She could be injured or worse. We need to move and we need to move now."

"I have every available officer patrolling the area but so far they haven't been able to find any sign of her."

Ned sighed in frustration and Burt lay a comforting hand on his friend.

"Don't worry Ned, Nancy's tough, she'll fight them until the end."

"That's exactly what I'm afraid of Burt."


	14. Chapter XIV

Chapter XIV

Hours passed before Nancy finally began to gain consciousness.  
The car ride was most turbulent, causing Nancy to bump her head against the interior of the locked trunk, thus awakening her. At first, she appeared dazed and confused as to where she was but after a moment, she was able to recall the night's previous events.  
The space was dark and quite cramped as Nancy discovered her hands were bound and her mouth gagged. She managed to free two of her fingers and used them to pull the gag from her mouth, letting it hang around her neck.

_Now that's more like it._ She thought.

Nancy then, attempted to create an opening at the taillight as she kicked away at it, but her efforts were useless and she was left to wait in the dark of the trunk with her hands bound until they arrived at their destination.  
As she tried to free her hands, Nancy could hear the muffled sound of voices coming from the front seat of the vehicle and she leaned in closer to try to overhear the conversation.

"They're onto us! We had to do something." A man's voice came.

"But eliminating the girl will only strengthen their suspicions! They will catch up to us any day now, I guarantee it. We have to leave town!" A woman's voice replied.

"Don't look at me! Mitch is the one who slipped up by getting caught!" The man argued.

Nancy's eyes widened at his words. _He must be referring to the man who we thought was named Mr. Gates!_ She thought.

"I'm not blaming you but this is partly your fault," They continued. "I told you the last time we were in this situation that I was done with all this illegal activity!"

"Don't worry, it's our last job and then I'll be out of your hair alright?" The man went on.

"That's not the point." The woman snapped.

The conversation appeared to be concluded as Nancy felt the vehicle pull onto a path at a bend in the road and finally come to a halt as the engine was shut off.  
Her heart began to race as she heard her two captors exit the vehicle and wander over to the trunk. Her breaths became rapid as she heard a key turn in the lock and her captors pulled the trunk open, but this time, Nancy made certain to be ready for them.

As soon as the door gave way, Nancy swung her legs over the edge, knocking the man square in the face, causing his mouth to drip with blood. The woman made a grab for Nancy but she only received the same reaction as the man.  
Taking her chance, Nancy leapt out from the trunk and scurried away from her captors as fast as she could. Though they groaned in agony and were still in shock from the blows, the two kidnappers chased after their hostage and managed to catch up to her within seconds.

They took hold of Nancy's elbows, lifting her off her feet and dragged her down the path.  
She thrashed and struggled but their grip remained firm and proved difficult to overcome. But still Nancy fought them and tried her best to carefully examine their features so that she may give a distinct description to the police, (assuming she made it out of here alive).

The man was muscular and tall with broad shoulders, wavy sand-blond hair and appeared to be in his late-twenties. The woman looked to be in her early-thirties with her blonde hair at her chin, she too was tall and muscular. It occurred to Nancy that the two of them might be siblings.

She was shaken from her thoughts as the three of them approached a wooden bridge spanning across a creek. Her captors dragged Nancy down the hill towards the water and the panic began to rise up into her throat but she was unable to scream.  
They trudged into the creek, the water running just above their ankles, and the captors began to force Nancy under the water in attempts to drown her.

Nancy began to kick and thrash with all her might but she could not break free from their hold. She began to yell for help at the top of her lungs but the woman only pulled the gag from around her neck and placed it back over her mouth.  
Her heart was beating so loud and fast that Nancy swore she could hear it over the sound of the running water sprinkling the back of her neck as she was lowered further and further into the creek.

The water now began to run over her ears and splash against her temples, her hair now completely drenched.  
Her eyes flashed with fear, her hands trembled with panic and her face was written with terror.  
With one final shove, her captors finally managed to submerge Nancy's head completely. Though she thrashed and fought she wasn't able to resurface and Nancy could already feel the need for air rising up in her lungs.

It finally began to dawn on Nancy that there was no one near her that could possibly come to her aid and as the last of her breath gave way, Nancy's last thought was of her beautiful fiance's face and how she wished with her very soul that she could've gotten to see Ned just one last time.  
And that is when she could hear the muffled sound of voices shouting and what sounded like a whole crowd of people approach the creek.  
When her captors realized they had been discovered, they immediately dropped their hostage into the water before running up the opposite side of the bridge from where the voices and footsteps were coming.

Nancy's last sight was of the distant stars burning in the night sky.


	15. Chapter XV

**Hello everyone!**

**Sorry to leave you all hanging, meant to update earlier but you know, life is just never on my side.:P**

**Thank you all so much for following, favoriting and reviewing my story! It means the absolute world to me that you guys like my story! I can't believe we only have four, (possibly five), more chapters to go! Ugh! I'm gonna miss writing this story so much! Now I'm just rambling.**

**Anyway here is chapter 15 and I hope you all enjoy!**

**-birdywings**

Chapter XV

Nancy awoke sore and bleary-eyed in a hospital bed, an IV in her arm and a clear tub in her side, which appeared to be draining water from her body.  
She surveyed the room to find Ned sitting in a chair in the far corner. His eyes were closed with his hands folded over his chest, his breaths slow and even in the rythm of sleep. Nancy heaved a sigh of relief at the sight of him once more.

"Nancy! You're awake!" Bess exclaimed, charging into the room with George, Burt and Dave trailing in behind her.

Nancy scooted over to make room for her friends and noticed Ned beginning to stir.

"Honestly Nancy, we have got to quit gathering in a hospital." George scolded her friend.

Nancy smiled sheepishly at her friend as she told her, "It's not too serious and to be fair, this time it wasn't my fault."

"True, but it's a little more serious than you make it sound." Burt spoke.

"Oh Nancy, those horrible people nearly drowned you!" Bess cried. "Luckily though, the police were able to find you in time and though your lungs were pretty water-logged, the doctors say you're going to be fine."

"And no doubt that you'll be up on your feet in no time, ready to tackle your mother's mystery once more." George said with a smirk.

Nancy gave a slight laugh, causing a sharp pain in her side where the tube still worked to drain the water from her lungs. She took a deep breath to keep from crying out.

Nodding toward the corner where Ned sat peacefully, Nancy asked; "How is he? Those stitches look pretty bad."

"Oh he's fine," Dave said matter of factly. "Took a blow to the head while you were being kidnapped but he was mostly concerned for your safety when we discovered him in the trunk of a vehicle."

Nancy's eyebrows knit with concern as she bit her lip, concerned for her fiance.  
And then he suddenly awoke, his eyes lighting up at the sight of Nancy. Ned ran to her side, cradling her face in his hands, their lips met in an urgent and longing manner as he told her how worried and relieved he was for her in between kisses.

"Okay you two, enough with the public display of affection." George told them.

Nancy blushed a deep rosy, red as she made room for Ned on the bed. He sat slightly behind her, wrapping her up in his arms as he gave her head of blond a kiss.  
Not long passed before chief Mcginnis entered the room with a folder in his hands.  
The group made way for him to take a seat at Nancy's side.

"What news do you bring chief?" Ned inquired.

"Best lead we've had all mystery." He said, unable to conceal his look of satisfaction.

Nancy sat up straighter, her breath held in anticipation for this new and exciting news.

"When we discovered you and your captors at the creek, they fled as soon as they heard my search party approach and left their vehicle at the top of the hill in the process." The chief went on. "Naturally, I had my men investigate it right away and we manged to find this." He said, as he held a photo consisting of six people out to Nancy for her to examine. "Recognize any faces?"

Nancy took a moment to study the six people before Ned suddenly directed everyone's attention to one of the five men in the photo as he said excitedly, "Hey, that's the man who knocked me unconscious at the restaurant!"

Nancy followed his gaze and discovered that Ned was indeed correct; the man had all the same features as the man who asked Ned for help with his vehicle, the wavy hair, the point of his nose, it all fit perfectly. The only difference appeared to be that this photo was from a few years back.  
She continued to study the remaining faces and discovered that one of the other men, along with the only woman in the picture, was her captor. She also noticed two of the other faces belonged to 'Mr Gates', (whom Nancy now knew as Mitch), and the thief who started this all, the man who stole her mother's letter from her convertible all those weeks ago.

Nancy identified the faces she knew of to the chief and told him of the conversation she had overheard while locked in the trunk on the drive to the creek. He nodded in reply, taking this in. Meanwhile, Nancy passed the photo around the circle, each of her friends carefully studying the six faces.

"Yep, that is most definitely Mr. Gates, or whatever his name is, and the man who attacked Bess and me," George told the group as she ran her fingers over the photo. "Okay, so we know who these five people are, but who is this last man?"

The photo went around once more but nobody could recall ever having seen this man. He appeared to be the youngest of the group, with dark hair, a long face and green eyes.

"What do you make of this photo chief?" Nancy asked, handing the picture back to him.

"From what I can gather, obviously these people know each other and I have reason to believe that this photo was what your mother left for you in that package, or at least part of what she left you."

Nancy raised a curious eyebrow at the man.

"What are you saying chief?" Ned asked.

"I believe that this is the family of con artists that have lurked around River Heights for years, stealing personal information, valuables and even the deeds to houses from people all over the city." Mcginnis explained.

"Oh my!" Bess cried.

"Countless detectives have tried to put this family away for years but they keep changing their identities. The one person who ever came close to exposing them was your mother Nancy."

Nancy gasped. "My mom? How do you know this?"

"I was just on the verge of two years of being on the force when she came close to revealing this family's true identity but they closed the case because everyone was under the impression they had left town and no one has bothered bringing them to justice since. I believe your mother left every piece of evidence she had on them for you to piece together Nancy and finally bring these guys down for good. But it appears that they somehow knew of this and decided to steal the evidence before it even reached you."

Nancy was a little too shocked to reply.

"And as I said," The chief went on. "Their identities are still unknown, which makes them difficult to find. I bet if I tried to search them up, one of their previous aliases would pop up." He said, apologetically.

Nancy gave her head a slight shake, trying to remove the shock from her brain. "Well, this is certainly a complicated mystery that I am determined to solve. I have a feeling that Mitch is this man's true name and that we better reveal the remaining five figures identities soon before they vanish again."

"Will do Nancy, I'll get to work looking these people up. Meanwhile, you better get all the rest you need, can't solve this mystery without you." The chief called on his way out the door.

Nancy called a quick thanks back to him and then he was gone.

"Well, that was most surprising indeed." Bess said, her eyes wider than Nancy would have thought possible.

She gave her friend a slight nod.

Ned looked down at her, curled up in his arms. "What are you thinking Nancy?"

With a look of evident determination, she replied with; "That I need to solve this mystery, and I need to solve it soon. For my mom."

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**Ta da!**

**So what'd you guys think? Let me know if it was too confusing! (Trust me I can understand if it was too confusing). I just thought I had a lot of action the past few chapters and that I needed to shed some light on the mystery for you guys. So again, if it was just too confusing for you guys, don't hesitate to review or PM me and I will be more than happy to answer your questions.:)  
**

**Hope you enjoyed this chapter! More to come hopefully very soon!**

**-birdywings**


	16. Chapter XVI

**Hey guys!**

**Thank you so much for the reviews! They really mean a lot guys:)  
So now we get to explore the criminals backgrounds a little more.**

**Hope you enjoy!**

**-birdywings**

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Chapter XVI

The area surrounding the small creek in which the young detective was nearly drowned in earlier, was being thoroughly searched by the remaining police officers. They were attempting to track Nancy's captors escape route but they had lost it long ago, not even the dogs could pick up their scent. Though little did the small group of officers know that they were being watched from the shadows by two figures, their features concealed by the brush they hid behind. One was a man of a strong and muscular build, with wavy sand-blond hair, while the other was a woman with shoulder-length blond hair and also had a tall and muscular form.

They watched as the group of officers wandered through the tall grass, trying to locate the trail once more, but their efforts were unsuccessful.  
Pleased with this outcome, the two figures in the shadows glanced at each other and with a nod of their heads, they rose to their feet and made their way through the woods.

Not long passed before they approached a little shack well concealed in the woods and only those who knew of it would be able to locate it without an ounce of effort.  
The wooden steps creaked and groaned beneath them as they entered the cabin but not before glancing around once or twice for prying eyes.  
They were greeted by four men; all of them standing with their arms crossed over their chests with harsh expressions on their faces.

"You're late." The man in the center of the room said, His voice was husky. He had long, shaggy dark hair with a scruffy beard, which made him look older than he really was and unless you actually knew his age, you would think he was.

"Lay off will you? We ran into the police." The man told him.

"Yeah, thanks to your amazing kidnapping skills." The woman grumbled from behind him.

He whipped around to face her. "Hey! Maybe you should have been driving just a little faster, don't you think Charlotte?" He snapped.

"I wasn't the one who kept allowing the girl to escape!" Charlotte shot back.

"Enough!" The man in the far corner shouted. He was the only person whom Nancy was unable to identify in the photo that the chief had showed her. "It doesn't matter what held you up, what matters now is that the Drew girl now knows our faces. It won't be long before she discovers our true identities."

"You can pin that one on Todd, He's the one that was supposed to dispose of all the evidence." Charlotte said, jerking a thumb at her brother.

"Hey, there was a lot of stuff in that package!" He protested.

"Then why on earth would you leave it in our vehicle? This is all your fault! Thanks to your brilliant plan we're stuck in this mess, again!" She snapped at him, waving her arms around and storming off to the opposite end of the room.

Todd was about to say something more but was stopped by the man with the scruffy beard. "Will you two quit behaving like children and cooperate for once? This is serious, if they reveal our true identities before we finish the job then it's all over. We won't have a shot at getting out of this town unnoticed."

"Fine by me, I didn't even want any part in this until Frank here dragged me into it." Charlotte said, nodding toward the man who knocked Ned unconscious.

"So you would rather go down for the crimes we've committed than escape this town?" Frank shot back.

"I wasn't even supposed to be part of this Frank! I was getting better, dad was helping me start over until you showed up!"

"Dad was the one who asked me to get you! He said he needed you for certain tasks, he needed all of us for certain tasks."

"Where is he now?" The man in the corner spoke up.

The man with the shaggy beard glanced down at his watch. "He should be here soon."

And just then, the door swung open and shut with a loud slam just as quickly. In walked the man who Nancy had originally knew as 'Mr. Gates', but now knows as Mitch.

"Dad." Charlotte gasped, running toward him. "Are you unharmed? I haven't seen you since before they arrested you."

"I'm fine," He mumbled. "Though, that's more than I can say as far as our current situation is concerned.

His company replied with silence.

"Zeke, if you please." Mitch said to the man with the shaggy beard.

Zeke nodded in reply and waited for everyone to gather around the tiny and cramped room.

"Okay guys, here's the plan; we're going to need at least three of you as a distraction for the Drew girl, you're going to be pulling off some job, nothing too big so that it's not too obvious but nothing too small so that she doesn't pay any mind to it at all. Meanwhile, the rest of us will be continuing with the primary jo-..."

"What?" The man in the far corner interjected. Every head in the room snapped in his direction.

"You're not serious are you?"

"What do you mean Aidan?" Zeke asked, clearly annoyed.

"We're still going ahead with the job even though we've got every cop in town on our backs?"

"We've been at this for years Aidan, if we don't finish it off now then all this will have been for naught." Frank spoke up.

"No one asked you cuz," Aidan snapped. "I say we should get out while we can, we're out of time."

"If this is about your task, I'll be more than happy to fill-in for you. You've got the easy job, fooling that little burnette. Doubt she even has a clue at what's coming for her." Todd smirked.

"I had to give up my fresh start for this damn job, there's no going back now, so it's now or never." Charlotte snapped.

"Charlotte's right Aidan. We've been after this fortune for years, it's all I've ever wanted," Mitch went on. "If we stop now, we'll never have another shot at it. What do you say my son?" He said, holding his hand out to Aidan.

Aidan hesitated, scanning every face in the room, five expectant pairs of eyes boring through him.  
His father, brother, sister and two cousins had been at this for years now, it only seemed right to finish what they started, no matter how much he had fallen for...

He shook his head, shaking the image of the beautiful burnette, and also his soon-to-be bride, from his mind as he took his father's hand in his.

"What are we waiting for?"

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**I kind of feel like I could've explained things a little better in this chapter... Again, let me know if it was too confusing and I would love to answer any questions you guys may have!:)**

**Hope you like it!**

**-birdywings**


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